Crystallize
by AquaTurquoise
Summary: Both Sofia and Elena get drawn into the amulet when it senses that the princesses are in danger. It's now up to both the Royal Sorcerer of Enchancia and the Royal Wizard of Avalor to figure out what's going on before it's too late.
1. Ensnared

Crystallize

Summary: Both Sofia and Elena get drawn into the amulet when it senses that the princesses are in danger. It's now up to both the Royal Sorcerer of Enchancia and the Royal Wizard of Avalor to figure out what's going on before it's too late.

Disclaimer: I don't own _Sofia the First_ or _Elena of Avalor_.

A/N: This story is carried over from "Magic Link," so I just wanted to make sure to mention that. This will be a multi-chapter story, and, due to my work schedule, it might be a bit of time before I update. _But_ I intend to try to update once a week or so if at all possible. Things mentioned throughout the chapters are linked together, and I understand that there may be a few questions that arise throughout the chapters, but I assure you that the connections will be made quite clear by the end. That said, I hope you enjoy "Crystallize." :)

Chapter List:

1: Ensnared

2: Like No Other

3: Myth or Magic

4: The Defacto

5: Ever Realm Patrol

6: And Then There Were None

*Story*

Chapter 1: Ensnared

"Come here," Elena whispered to Mateo as she grabbed his arm and pulled him away from the gathered crowd of people in the ballroom (a party for the changing of the seasons). She led him outside to the balcony, the darkness of the night blanketing them from curious onlookers; a few torches did manage to illuminate a bit of the area, which offered some visual for the two of them.

"What's wrong?" Mateo asked in concern as she released him and produced her scepter. His eyes widened slightly when he realized it seemed to be glowing on its own. "Elena?"

"It's been doing this all night, Mateo. And I didn't activate it at all…" She sighed heavily as she glanced back through the windows of the palace, realizing the party continued with or without them. If nothing else, her grandparents could manage the party. "I just don't know what to do," she admitted softly. "Mateo, if I can't learn to control this thing, then I'm going to be causing more harm than good…and…" She paused, biting her lip and making a small sound of discomfort.

The young wizard frowned, bothered more by what she _wasn't_ saying than what she'd already said. "This isn't just about the scepter, is it?" he stated more than asked. "Something else is going on; otherwise, you never would have brought me out here. What's going on, Elena?"

The princess inhaled before sighing heavily as she carefully observed the balcony to make sure they had no onlookers or anything of that sort. Not finding anything out of the ordinary, she returned her attention to her friend. "Have you ever had a sinking feeling, where you know something bad is going to happen, yet you don't really know how to stop it?" She felt a chill go down her spine as she even spoke of her fears, and she held the scepter closer, her hands tightly clutching it. "I know something's wrong, Mateo… Something is after me…and I can't shake the feeling that even Sofia might be in danger too."

"Sofia?"

"We have to warn her, Mateo," Elena insisted with a stern stare. "I won't have someone I consider a friend and a charge, really, being placed in harm's way. If I can get to her first, then maybe we'll stand a fighting chance of stopping…whatever this is."

The wizard gave his friend a skeptical look. "Elena…not that I don't support you and believe what you're saying… But is it really wise to travel to Enchancia solely on a hunch of what _could_ happen?"

The princess frowned before turning and staring out at the kingdom. "I thought you, of all people, would have faith in me…in my intuition. I've kind of been through enough to realize that bad feelings only lead to bad events, Mateo…"

Mateo realized he'd inadvertently upset his friend, and he never did like seeing her so down, so he stepped forward and placed one hand on her shoulder, getting her attention. "I'm sorry… You're right, and I believe you. If you say that you feel something bad is going to happen, then I'm going to listen to you. So what now?"

She smiled thoughtfully before gesturing toward the party. "We get out of here."

He seemed surprised by her suggestion. "What? Without even telling your grandparents? Or my mom? Oh, gosh, my mom would be so mad at me if I left without telling her…" He groaned in frustration.

"Ever heard of a note, Mateo?" She winked as he gave her a dumbfounded look. "Who knows? Maybe it's nothing. Maybe it's something. Honestly, I'd rather do something for the greater good and apologize later than tell them the truth and be guarded 24/7 after Estéban lectures me for an hour. Wouldn't you agree?"

"I guess…" He yelped as she grabbed his hand and dragged him off.

"Glad you see things my way."

* * *

After sneaking out of the party with no verbal indication to anyone, both teens packed bags for traveling and wrote notes to their guardians indicating that they had something important to tend to, that they were in no danger, and that they intended to return soon and not to worry.

"Well," Elena laughed incredulously as she and Mateo stood outside the palace gates. "I can't for certain promise we're not in danger…but everything else was true."

"My mom's still gonna kill me," he lamented with a heavy sigh.

"She'll understand after she hears the full story." With that, she climbed into a flying coach, Mateo following behind her. She leaned forward to the driver. "Enchancia, please."

The man seemed a little surprised at the request but nodded all the same. "Yes, Princess." He snapped the reins and they were off.

The ride to Enchancia was long, and due to a storm moving in nearby, it was sort of rough. Mateo couldn't think of any spells to ward off the bad weather, so the coachman simply flew around it as best as he could, which put them a bit farther out of the way than they'd planned. Still, they were already on this journey, so they might as well see it through.

"…Do you think it's crazy for us to be going to see Sofia just based on my bad feeling?" Elena asked uncertainly as she absently twirled one long lock of hair around her fingers. "I mean, it could be nothing…"

Mateo looked at her dubiously. "Elena, I know I made a mention of that earlier, but I meant what I said… Your intuition about these things is usually right, so not listening to it would have been foolish on our part. Besides, I think we've seen enough weird things to know that it's not outside the realm of possibility for some wicked force to be after either you or Sofia."

"Or both of us," she added with a deep sigh, tugging the long section of hair.

The young wizard took her hand, carefully released the locks from her fingers, and comfortingly placed his free hand over hers. "It will be all right," he said confidently, smiling as she stared at him for a moment before returning the smile.

" _Gracias_ , Mateo… I appreciate that you still believe in me, even when I sometimes doubt myself."

He grinned. "What are friends and Royal Wizards for?"

The princess laughed softly.

A few hours later, the flying coach lowered to the pavement outside the Enchancian castle. Noticing that several people seemed to be sort of lurking around, Mateo turned to Elena.

"I know this sounds silly, but maybe we should come up with a disguise or something."

Elena blinked. "Why?"

"Well, I'd rather not raise suspicion or anything when the royal family sees Princess Elena here out of nowhere—especially if they somehow manage to pass the word along to our families that we're here. We'd be back in Avalor before you even realized what was happening."

"Okay, fair point. So what do you suggest?" She made a slight sound of surprise as he grabbed her hand and quickly pulled her from the flying coach and around the side of it where they could be out of sight. He tapped his _tamborita_ once. " _K'exik maak_ ," he chanted quietly, watching as the magic flowed from his _tamborita_ and around the both of them.

Mateo's robe turned dark green. His hair changed to a dirty blonde color while his eyes were now deep blue. He glanced toward Elena, who now had shorter black hair braided down her back and green eyes; her dress was a simple white dress accented with hints of turquoise throughout. All in all, they looked less like they belonged in the royal court and more like they were from the village. After all, they were fairly certain that villagers requesting an audience with the Enchancian king happened often enough that no one would suspect them; however, an interview with King Roland was obviously not their ultimate goal.

Mateo managed to hide his _tamborita_ and Elena's scepter inside his robe as they approached the castle gates and passed along their request to seek an audience with the king, as apparently so many others had already done so far. Two more people would likely not make much of a difference, they figured.

As they passed through the gates and into the castle, Mateo and Elena noticed that the security was currently somewhat sparse between the entrance and the throne room.

"You'd think after the Princess Ivy incident, they'd know better," the princess muttered to herself as they walked. Ignoring Mateo's confused response, she grabbed his arm and took off quickly down the castle halls, toward a familiar tower that, even after a year of vacating the amulet, she still recalled quite clearly.

* * *

Cedric was currently seated at his desk, attempting to pour a very precise amount of potion from his vial into a concoction he seemed to be mixing. "Just one tiny drop," he murmured, his concentration level high.

*KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK*

The sorcerer jumped and nearly dropped the vial but managed to place it carefully onto the table. He was glad he hadn't wasted any of the precious potion, but who on earth could be pounding so urgently on his door? He turned and walked to the door, pulling it open. He frowned in confusion. "May I help you?"

"Cedric, we need your help," Elena said quickly as she gestured. "No time to explain. Bad feelings…"

"Let me rephrase the question," the Royal Sorcerer stated with his hands on his hips. "Who are you?"

"Oh, whoops," Mateo laughed sheepishly before pulling out his _tamborita_ and tapping it twice, reverting their disguises to their normal appearances. He then handed the Scepter of Light back to its rightful owner.

"Mateo? Princess Elena?" Cedric looked behind them and quickly ushered them into his workshop before shutting the door. "Not that I'm not pleased to see the two of you, but what on earth are you doing here?"

"Elena had a bad feeling, Mr. Cedric," Mateo explained calmly as the princess sat on one of his chairs, fidgeting with her scepter. "She's concerned that something terrible is going to happen…that it's watching her and coming after her…" He became serious as he said the next part, knowing it would likely negatively affect the other magic wielder. "…and Sofia."

Cedric frowned. "Sofia? What has she got to do with this?"

"Everything," Elena admitted nervously. "Ever since I made her the owner of the amulet, more negative forces have been after her than any other bearer of the amulet before. With her ability to now take control over it, she's seen as a threat." She clutched her scepter tightly. "And I feel someone is after me because of my scepter. It's more than just a royal staff: it's the Scepter of Light."

The Royal Sorcerer's eyes widened. "The Scepter of Light? I've read about it, but I never dreamed I'd see it up close…" His eyes narrowed as he made the connection. "You're the owner of the Scepter of Light, Princess Elena?"

"I am… No one really realized just how powerful it was until I literally got my hands on it, and now thanks to my residual powers from the amulet—or my own inner powers or whatever—it reacts each time I even touch it. Never mind using commands to activate its own powers."

"Interesting…" Cedric cleared his throat and folded his arms. "So I take it you two are seeking my help?"

"If it's possible," the princess admitted. "I mean, I know you're busy and you're only one person, but if anyone can help us, you can."

He nodded in appreciation before turning and gazing at his line of bookshelves. "I'll see what I can do. There must be answers som—" Another knock fell upon the door, interrupting him from his finishing statement. Cedric just smiled. "Sofia."

"She needs to know too, huh?" Mateo suggested as he glanced toward his friend.

She nodded. "It's no use hiding the truth about this from her. She's a smart girl and will figure it out eventually anyway."

Cedric opened the door and led the girl in.

Sofia began to speak but stopped and gaped at the two people before her. "Elena? Mateo?" She glanced around at all of them and frowned suspiciously. "Are you guys okay? What's going on?"

Elena couldn't help giggling. "Even now, your instincts kick in. I love that." She sighed thoughtfully before explaining yet again everything that had happened up until now: her predictions, her bad feelings, everything. She noticed the younger princess seemed to be listening attentively, mentally keeping notes to review later. It's what she did. Sofia was nothing if not thorough. "I just wanted to make sure we let you in on it. It's not right to leave you out."

The girl smiled at the notion. "Thanks, Elena… I don't know if anything bad is coming after us, but if you want, I can help you guys look into it."

Mateo grinned. "I think it's a good idea."

Cedric frowned when he noticed a strange light coursing from the end of Elena's scepter. "Princess, something is going on with your scepter."

Elena glanced down and noticed it was indeed glowing again. "Oh, not now…"

"Um, guys?" Sofia glanced down at her amulet, which was also glowing a piercing shade of pink. Could the two magical objects be reflecting each other? They weren't sure. She gasped when she suddenly felt a strange sensation. "Wh-What's happening?"

"Sofia!" Cedric reached out to the girl, only to back away and shield his eyes as the light grew stronger.

Elena reached out and wrapped her arms around the girl, in an attempt to protect her charge. Her own light engulfed them both, causing the guys to turn completely to avoid harming their vision anymore. A few moments later, when the light had faded, both magic users turned around and noticed that their princesses had vanished.

"Sofia?!" Cedric called, looking around in panic.

"Elena!" Mateo called, also sounding rather alarmed. "Where are you two?"

Pausing a moment to observe, Cedric's eyes widened. He knelt to the floor and picked up Sofia's amulet, now abandoned by its owner. "Sofia never goes anywhere without her amulet…and Princess Elena is gone too."

Mateo walked over toward him. "Uh, Mr. Cedric… You don't think…?"

He didn't even need to finish his thought as the sorcerer pieced things together, the now less-prominent glowing of the amulet still pulsing from the precious stone. Cedric gasped as realization dawned on him. "They're… They're in the amulet!"

To be continued…


	2. Like No Other

Crystallize

Summary: Both Sofia and Elena get drawn into the amulet when it senses that the princesses are in danger. It's now up to both the Royal Sorcerer of Enchancia and the Royal Wizard of Avalor to figure out what's going on before it's too late.

Disclaimer: I don't own _Sofia the First_ or _Elena of Avalor_.

A/N: Thank you for all the great reviews on the first chapter! I'm glad you're enjoying it so far. To answer a quick question about "people lurking around the castle." I might have needed to use a different verb. Haha. No bad guys around the castle at that point. Rather Elena and Mateo were just being cautious not to encounter guards and villagers (among other people) who may have been hanging around the outside of the castle… Hopefully that satisfies that answer! Anyway! Here's the next part! Enjoy!

*Story*

Chapter 2: Like No Other

"Merlin's Mushrooms," Cedric lamented as he stared at the amulet now in his hands. After all the years he'd previously spent trying to get his hands on it (and now he had no need to, of course), this was certainly _not_ the way he could have ever envisioned it happening. The princesses' very lives could be at stake, for even though Elena had survived over forty years within it, how would it handle _two_ new presences? He didn't care to wait around to find out.

"What are we going to do, Mr. Cedric?" Mateo asked, all but panicking now. "If Elena's grandparents find out that she's been trapped in the amulet _again_ , especially after we sort of took off without giving them any indication, I'm afraid they're going to somehow blame _me_ for this." He sighed as he held a hand to his forehead. "But that's nothing compared to what will happen if my _mom_ finds out."

"Enough, Mateo," Cedric ordered seriously, getting the younger boy's attention. "I'm very well aware that your princess is in danger, but so is mine. We need to work together to figure out what's just happened; then, we can set them free." He frowned. "How did Sofia help Elena become free the first time?"

"Well, that involved Shuriki's wand, Sofia's amulet, and an Avaloran artifact called the Crown of Aziluna…and we've only got one out of three of those things right now, so I'm guessing that method's a no-go."

Cedric frowned before sighing. "Very well. There's only one thing I can think of then…" He unfastened the chain of the amulet and handed it to the other magic wielder. "Here, put this on, but make absolutely certain that you do not say or do anything destructive, because you _will_ get cursed." He rolled his eyes. "Trust me."

Mateo appeared to be surprised and a bit confused. "Wait, you want _me_ to wear the Amulet of Avalor? Why not you?"

"Because, in all honesty, I've had enough experience with it to know that it's in my best interest not to wear it again… Please, Mateo." He offered it again, somewhat relieved when the Royal Wizard accepted it.

"All right…" He fastened the clasp around his neck and hid the jewel inside his robe. He grasped it gently. "Don't worry, girls. We'll save you." He looked back at Cedric. "So what is your plan?"

The sorcerer grabbed his wand from his table and slid a coat around his shoulders. "To be perfectly honest, Mateo, this is like no other situation I've ever seen, but I feel little can be accomplished here." He looked toward the Royal Wizard seriously. "We need to get to Hexley Hall, and quickly." That said, he and Mateo headed out.

* * *

"Elena? Elena? Come on, Elena! Wake up!"

"Huh?" Elena slowly blinked her eyes open before focusing, realizing Sofia was kneeling next to her and shaking her arm. "S-Sofia? What happened?" She sat up a little too quickly, an overwhelming feeling of dizziness surrounding her senses. In response, she lowered herself to the floor again and covered her eyes with one hand. "Where are we?"

"Um, well… I don't know really how to tell you this but…" She inhaled briskly before sighing and letting her friend in on the news. "…I think we're inside my amulet."

Elena lowered her hand, her dizziness subsiding, and sat up a bit more slowly this time. She opened her eyes again and gazed around at their surroundings.

The "floor" was merely a transparent surface that had floating pink and purple clouds beneath it. All around was a bit of a misty haze. And directly in front of them appeared to be a window to the real world: an ovular one. Around the outside of said "window" was the same casing Sofia's jewel had fastened to it. Also, the "window" seemed to have a slight pink tint to it.

"Oh, not again," the older princess whined as she realized exactly what was going on. She could just cry. "Forty-one years! Forty-one years I spent trapped here, gazing at the outside and longing to be a part of our world again, and now here I am, trapped in the same place I hoped I'd never see again…" She glanced down when she realized her scepter was lying next to her.

"I'm sorry, Elena," Sofia said gently. "I don't know what happened, but at least I'm here with you this time, right?" She tried to smile encouragingly but realized that the Avaloran princess's attention was instead directed at something else. "Elena?"

Elena picked up the scepter and glared at it pensively. "I bet the Scepter of Light had something to do with this… The amulet protects and guides. This thing, on the other hand, has a habit of being more trouble than it's worth." She stood to her feet a little shakily at first, but she did manage to find her balance. She held the staff tightly. "I wonder if I can get us out of here…"

"How?" the other princess asked as she stood up, yet she stayed at a bit of a distance. Elena wasn't acting quite like herself, and she wasn't sure what she was going to do. Then again, she figured, if she'd previously been stuck in the amulet for four decades herself, she'd probably have an adverse reaction as well.

"Mateo's been helping me to use the scepter properly. I know a few things it can do… Maybe I can blast us out through there." She gestured toward the window.

Sofia frowned. "I don't know if that's such a good idea, Elena…"

"Do _you_ have any ideas?" Elena turned toward her charge. "You're amulet-less now, in case you didn't realize it, and the guys are stuck on the outside likely wondering what in the world just happened to us. Honestly, Sofia, I'd rather _try_ something and get out of here faster instead of just sitting around and doing nothing!"

The auburn-haired girl's eyes widened. Her friend wasn't thinking clearly, obviously. This environment was obviously bringing up bad memories for her, and Elena was definitely having a hard time coping with things. But yelling at Sofia wasn't going to get anything accomplished, and she had to let her know that. "Elena, stop! I'm on _your_ side, remember? I want out of here just as much as you do, but taking out your anger and frustration on me isn't helping us!"

Elena blinked when she realized exactly what was happening. The younger girl looked both angry and sad at the same time, like she couldn't decide if she wanted to yell back at her or cry. "Sofia, I'm… I'm sorry. It's just…I never expected to be back here again, not after you freed me last year." She sighed.

"I know," Sofia soothed gently as she walked a little closer but still kept her distance. "Look, Mateo and Mr. Cedric will figure this out. They're both very smart, and they know magic better than anyone else I've met. If anyone can save us, it's them. But using your scepter, especially if you don't know if it's going to help or hurt, is a bad idea. Trust me."

The older princess nodded. "I know… I guess I just wanted a quick fix. But you're right. I'm sure Mateo and Cedric can figure out what's going on and help us." She frowned in concern. "But this just proves my feeling… Something weird and probably bad is going on, and whatever it is…I get the feeling it's not going to stop until it gets what it wants."

Sofia glanced down when she noticed the Scepter of Light glowing, a steady stream of light pulsating directly at Elena, who seemed to be losing energy. "Elena?"

Elena shook her head once, twice, before sitting down once again, an overwhelming feeling of exhaustion encapsulating her. "I…feel so weak." She looked at her scepter, which was still glowing. "It's… I think it's draining my energy, Sofia."

The young girl's eyes widened. "Can it do that?"

"It has before. It made me fall into a deep sleep for two days last time, and that was when I purposefully used it." She yawned once and leaned against the transparent floor with her free hand. "I can't…imagine…what it'll do this time…"

Sofia gasped. This couldn't be good… She had to do something, anything. But what could she do? She knelt next to her friend and placed her hands on her arm. "Elena, stay with me, okay? Don't go to sleep."

Elena swayed a bit before shaking her head slowly once again and smiling tiredly at the other girl. "I'm okay, Sofia…"

She wasn't, and Sofia knew that. She glanced toward the window, where she could see Cedric's face as he appeared to be speaking with Mateo. "Mr. Cedric, Mateo, please hurry…"

* * *

Both Mateo and Cedric arrived at the esteemed school of Hexley Hall not much later, though it appeared to be relatively vacant.

"Perfect," Cedric muttered as he and the younger wizard walked toward the front entrance. "Perhaps we can get some work done in peace."

"Is this _the_ Hexley Hall?" Mateo gushed with an excited grin. "My grandfather Alacazar used to talk about this place all the time! Apparently he and some of his friends went here as children. He said it was a great school, and those were the best years of his life."

"Well, I'm afraid it's not quite the same school it used to be… Granted, there are some good professors still on staff, but the headmaster is a raving lunatic." He frowned. "Speaking of which, if a man by the name of Grimtrix approaches you, just blast him with your _tamborita_. You'd be doing us all a favor."

The brunette blinked, his hazel eyes widening slightly. "Um, Mr. Cedric, that's a little…hostile, wouldn't you say?"

"Trust me, if you knew half the chaos he's caused, you'd feel quite a bit differently. I assure you." He entered via the front entrance as usual, the younger boy following behind him and looking around in awe. "Best to start in the library I suppose."

"What are we looking for exactly?" Mateo asked as he caught up to Cedric, walking beside him now.

"Answers."

To be continued…


	3. Myth or Magic

Crystallize

Summary: Both Sofia and Elena get drawn into the amulet when it senses that the princesses are in danger. It's now up to both the Royal Sorcerer of Enchancia and the Royal Wizard of Avalor to figure out what's going on before it's too late.

Disclaimer: I don't own _Sofia the First_ or _Elena of Avalor_.

A/N: Well, we've had a lot happen so far. Elena's energy is dwindling rapidly, Sofia has the responsibility of looking after her, and Mateo and Cedric are both having to figure out exactly what's going on so they can release the girls from the amulet. There's a lot more to things than meets the eye, of course, so you'll get a bit of a glimpse into the mystery behind things in this chapter. Enjoy!

*Story*

Chapter 3: Myth or Magic

"If we're to find any answers," Cedric began as he led Mateo into the massive library, "they will most likely be in here."

"Wow," Mateo breathed in awe. "This place is awesome!" He spun around as he looked at the multilayers of books. "I could use one of these for my study at home."

"Shhh!"

Cedric groaned and waved away the shusher before glancing toward the young wizard. "Try to keep your voice down in here; otherwise, that blasted shusher will continue pestering us and trying to silence us our entire visit."

"What's a shusher?" Mateo tilted his head in curiosity.

"An annoyance that likes to keep people quiet. Just trust me on this." He began skimming the rows of books and manuscripts. "Last time Sofia and I were here, we were looking up information pertaining to her amulet. Perhaps you and I should continue that research."

"Hmm."

Cedric turned to Mateo, who appeared to be a bit conflicted. "What is it?"

"It's just… Yeah, sure, Sofia's amulet reacted and pulled the girls inside. But had it been acting like that before Elena and I arrived?" Seeing Cedric shake his head, he shrugged. "Elena's scepter, on the other hand, has been acting really strange lately. It's glowing on its own, and… Mr. Cedric, it drains her energy a lot of times. One time she passed out after using it, and she was asleep for two days."

The sorcerer frowned. "That sounds rather dangerous, does it not?"

"I know. I was scared we were going to lose her…" He rubbed one arm as Cedric smiled at the mentioning. "I just want her to be okay, you know? I want them both to be okay."

"As do I." He glanced back at the bookcases. "Perhaps we should follow your mentioning then. Let's find out more about the Scepter of Light."

It took a bit more searching than the Amulet of Avalor had several months ago, but eventually the wizard and sorcerer managed to secure one book (naturally buried in the depths of the manuscripts) that contained some information about the Scepter of Light. Interestingly enough, it wasn't solely about the magical item, but rather about events and characters that affected its existence.

"Oh, listen to this," Mateo announced as he paced back and forth with the book that apparently didn't have a distinguishable title; in fact the only way they'd known its context was the cover image of the Scepter of Light itself. " _The Scepter of Light is an enigma to most, including its creators. Whatever original purposes the scepter was intended for remain unclear. However, one thing is for certain: it is highly sought after_."

Cedric frowned and leaned forward against the table where he was sitting as Mateo continued reading.

" _From kings and queens to delinquents of the law, the Scepter of Light is seen as a prize to any who manage to wield it and unlock its powers. One particular group has invested a significant interest in it. This group is known as The Defacto, a group of lawless individuals said to have access to dark magic. However, little is known about the actual group, and even less is known about their intent for obtaining the Scepter of Light. One can only guess that The Defacto's purpose for obtaining the scepter is to cause some sort of catastrophic occurrence._ "

"The Defacto," Cedric repeated as he tapped his chin. "Yes, I've heard of them, though many believed them just to be a myth..." He glanced across the table at Mateo as the boy sat down and placed the book between them. "My father and a few of his friends actually had to deal with the original members at one time. I can't recall their names, but there are five men in The Defacto. As the book said, they're essentially magic-wielding criminals who practice dark magic. They'll stop at nothing to get what they want, even if that means destroying anything and everything in their path."

Mateo's breath caught in his throat. "And these guys are after Elena's scepter…" He instinctively clutched Sofia's amulet and held it protectively. "So…the amulet… It must have been protecting them all along when it pulled them in, right? It probably sensed that they were in danger and offered them some sort of safe haven, I guess?" He glanced toward Cedric, who nodded in agreement. "What can we do, Mr. Cedric? I won't let them harm Elena. She…" He sighed. "She's done more for me than anyone, and she's my best friend, and…I can't imagine my life without her."

Cedric smiled at the young wizard's sincerity. He could see how much Mateo cared for the princess, and he knew that his concern for his friend would help him protect both girls in the long run. "I understand exactly where you are coming from, Mateo… Elena to you is like Sofia to me: the one who sees the good and potential you likely never thought you had; the one who'll defend you when no one else will; the one who calls you 'friend' when others can't possibly begin to understand why. I get it." He grabbed the book. "You and I must stand together and be strong for both of them now. If in fact The Defacto is the group behind this, we must prepare to defend ourselves and the girls against them. What little I do know is they don't give up without a fight—mostly unfair ones at that. They play by their own set of rules, and they couldn't care less about the regulations of magic. Therefore, neither can we." He pulled out his wand.

The Royal Wizard seemed to be a bit conflicted. "What are you saying, Mr. Cedric?"

"We'll defend Sofia and Elena in any way we possibly can. If it comes down to protecting our princesses and vanquishing The Defacto entirely…" He waved his wand slightly. "I've got a spell that will do the trick."

Mateo gulped. He really hoped it didn't come down to destruction… Obviously, Cedric had only mentioned it as a possibility, but he didn't know if he _could_ make such a decision. He could only hope that things went in their favor. "So…what do we do now?"

"We must first figure out a way to release the princesses from the amulet. Therefore, we'll need to locate those books on the Amulet of Avalor." He stood as Mateo followed suit. "Let's get back to work."

* * *

Back inside the amulet, Sofia held onto Elena's hand, trying to will her back into alertness. Her scepter had been glowing a bit more intensely than before, seemingly sapping the older princess of her energy. She could just feel the weak grip Elena had remaining, and it concerned her.

"Elena, please," Sofia begged after the other princess had closed her eyes. "Please, don't go to sleep. I don't know if you'll wake up…" She felt tears pricking the corners of her eyes, and she saw the Avaloran princess now starting to breathe in a steadier yet shallower manner. That couldn't be good.

Elena didn't respond this time. Her energy was practically gone. She couldn't lift her head. She couldn't move her limbs. She didn't even have the ability to open her eyes. She heard every word Sofia spoke, yet most of the time the sound was muffled… Was this what it was like to just…fade away? To relinquish the ability to _be_ …?

Panicked by the lack of movement on Elena's part, Sofia gasped and turned around, looking at the interior of the amulet. While it seemed vast, it was obviously not as big as it would have its visitors believe. After all, there was only so much space in a jewel…

The young princess stood unsteadily to her feet and folded her hands together. "P-Please, Amulet!" she called out, not even sure if what she was doing was logical. But she had to try. "Please, help her. I know you protected her for forty-one years; she needs your help again. _I_ need you to help her, please. You've always helped me when I needed it…I need you now. Please, save Elena!"

Sofia gasped when a bright light from the internal depths of the amulet shone, causing her to shield her eyes momentarily. When the light died down, she uncovered her eyes and blinked in surprise at what she saw. There, floating before her, was a near-identical version of her amulet…except it was a ruby red color. It floated past the younger princess and over to Elena, settling around her neck and fastening into place.

Almost immediately, the scepter stopped glowing, and Elena's breathing became normal again. Not much longer afterward, the Avaloran princess sighed heavily and slowly sat up, her dark eyes opening and gazing around. She glanced at Sofia, who appeared to be in awe. "Sofia?" she asked uncertainly. "Are you okay?"

Sofia didn't say a word. She couldn't. Instead, she pointed toward the amulet lookalike that was hanging around the other girl's neck.

Elena glanced down and gasped sharply. She grabbed the jewel and observed it in shock. "It's… It's Mami's amulet…but how?" She looked toward Sofia, who finally seemed to garner the ability to speak again.

"I…asked my amulet to help you. It sent _that_ amulet and put it on you. Why is it red though?"

"Because before all the stuff with Shuriki happened, that's what color it used to be…when my mom gave it to me." She managed to piece two and two together. "Your amulet sent this version to help me, I guess…"

"It must have worked, because it looks like it's restored your energy. I really thought I'd lost you for a minute…" With that, Sofia knelt beside her friend and felt one tear slide down her cheek.

Elena smiled gently and reached out, hugging the other princess. "It's okay, Sofia. We'll figure out what's going on." She stroked the girl's hair as the younger girl cried softly, releasing her stress and obvious fear. "We're going to be okay…I promise." She glanced toward the window, which seemed to be shaded at the moment. She frowned thoughtfully. "Please hurry, you guys…"

To be continued…


	4. The Defacto

Crystallize

Summary: Both Sofia and Elena get drawn into the amulet when it senses that the princesses are in danger. It's now up to both the Royal Sorcerer of Enchancia and the Royal Wizard of Avalor to figure out what's going on before it's too late.

Disclaimer: I don't own _Sofia the First_ or _Elena of Avalor_.

A/N: This chapter focuses primarily on the team of The Defacto, so you can get a sense of who they are and what they want. It will also be the ONLY chapter without the other four characters present. Consider this the informative chapter, so it's not as long as the others… But don't you worry. Next chapter, brace yourselves. Things get very real very quickly. ;) That's all I'm saying. Enjoy!

*Story*

Chapter 4: The Defacto

"Well, well, well," an old man's voice echoed in the darkness, his amused chuckle bouncing off the abstract walls of an unidentifiable room quite literally in the middle of nowhere. "It appears we have quite the challenge on our hands, my friends. The Crown Princess of Avalor, keeper of the Scepter of Light, is a lot craftier than we gave her credit for. And that other little princess, Princess Sofia of Enchancia, is the holder of the Amulet of Avalor, of all things. Now isn't that a pleasant surprise?" He hummed in amusement. "Perhaps we underestimated our situation, eh? Let's discuss our options here…"

Suddenly, it seemed as if the darkness simply faded and a lighter setting appeared. Around a table were seated five men, all of whom had on opaque cloaks covering everything except their heads at the moment. At the far end of the table was a middle-aged light-skinned man with long white hair tied into a side ponytail and keen light eyes, one of which was partially obscured by loosened bangs. He went by the name of Maguilno the Magnificent. To his left was a much younger man, probably in his twenties, named Soleth the Solitary. Soleth possessed prominent rainbow-colored hair and eyes, which looked strange against his pale skin. A permanent smirk seemed etched onto his face. To Maguilno's right was another young man called Flandon the Fearless. Flandon seemed to be the youngest of all of the five men, perhaps no older than twenty years of age. He was of a darker complexion with a black banded mask wrapped around his obscure eyes, and his jet black hair was twice braided on either side of his head, reaching down to his stomach. To Flandon's right was a much older dark-skinned man with striking purple eyes and long, wavy black hair bespattered with white streaks from his age. He was known as Zolir the Zealous. And their leader, Evalto the Evolutionary, sat at the head of the table. He possessed frightening red eyes that seemed to peer into one's soul, tousled white hair, and a matching white beard and mustache.

They were The Defacto, figures of legend and power.

"When you say options," Zolir began, his voice smooth and warm, something he'd used to his advantage many times in the past in order to get others to trust him, "what exactly do you mean, Evalto? Because we've been seeking that wretched scepter for what feels like a millennia to no avail, and suddenly with the rise of this princess we're back at it again? Makes no sense, if you ask me."

"He didn't ask you, old man," Soleth sneered, his lack of respect for his elder comrade quite clear. "Evalto owes you no explanation. Just follow the rules, like a good Defacto member."

Zolir growled under his breath before glancing toward the leader of their group, who cleared his throat.

"Calm yourselves, men," Evalto ordered with his ruby orbs seeming to glisten as he gazed at each one. "Let us not divide ourselves by mere trivial banter. Our goal is the same: obtain the Scepter of Light so that we will have our powers restored."

Maguilno frowned heavily. "When that blasted wizard Quilor cursed us all, he doomed us to mere parlor tricks." He lifted his left hand, one lone spark of magic flying up before vanishing in midair. "It will be good to have our full powers returned to us."

"And then we can have our revenge on _him_ ," Flandon summarized with a satisfied smirk.

What they said was true. The Defacto had ruled with fear and hatred in their home kingdom of Iccylia for several months, where they'd overthrown the royal family in favor of their own methods. No one dared approach them or stop them, obviously, because they each had incomparable levels of power. Only Quilor, a wizard whom they'd underestimated yet who had extensive knowledge on everything magic-related, had been able to defeat them and send them running for cover before the royal family could have them exiled or worse.

After a great deal of research, Evalto had discovered the magical item of the Scepter of Light, which held a deep mysterious past yet which was said to possess extremely powerful magic, potent against anyone, often including the wielder. The scepter held the ability to transfer its own power into any magic user who knew the proper measures, and luckily for The Defacto, Evalto the Evolutionary had done his share of studying.

"It's perfect," Evalto told them all. "If we can secure the scepter from that blasted princess, we could not only restore our powers, but we could also demand order yet again. We'd be unstoppable once more."

"How do we manage that now?" Flandon asked curiously, gesturing toward a large crystal ball in the center of the table. In its image were Mateo and Cedric, who were working tirelessly to free Elena and Sofia from the amulet. "As you can see, the younger princess's amulet is obviously protecting them. They clearly don't know about the connection between the two items yet…"

"As well they shouldn't," Zolir snarled, his hands curling into fists. "The less they know, the better."

"I agree with Zolir," Evalto spoke. "It is not our job to fill in our enemy about the history of the scepter and the amulet. That would give _them_ an advantage. No, instead, let us leave them in the dark. I like it when our victims grasp for reality and end up falling flat on their faces." He smiled wickedly as the image of Cedric and Mateo faded instead to one of the Scepter of Light. "We're this much closer to our destiny, gentlemen. Soleth, did you locate their whereabouts?"

"They're at Hexley Hall, sir," the rainbow-haired member responded.

"Ah, a familiar place indeed…" He stood, his fellow members following his lead. "We haven't any time to waste. Flandon, fetch the translocation spell." He smirked. "We have a few loose ends to take care of before we go after that scepter." He chuckled darkly as the crystal ball displayed Cedric's and Mateo's faces once more.

To be continued…

A/N 2: Just an FYI on how to pronounce the members of The Defacto's names:

Maguilno: Mah-GEEL-no; Soleth: SO-leth; Flandon: FLAN-done; Zolir: Zo-LEER; Evalto: Eh-VAHL-toe

Hope that helps, even if it's such a trivial thing. I've gotten into a habit of playing my stories back through a text-to-speech program, and the reader got the names ALL WRONG. Lol. So I was just making sure others knew how the names were pronounced. Anyway! Look for chapter 5 soon enough! It's going to be…a bit darker than the others. :D ~AquaTurquoise


	5. Ever Realm Patrol

Crystallize

Summary: Both Sofia and Elena get drawn into the amulet when it senses that the princesses are in danger. It's now up to both the Royal Sorcerer of Enchancia and the Royal Wizard of Avalor to figure out what's going on before it's too late.

Disclaimer: I don't own _Sofia the First_ or _Elena of Avalor_.

A/N: All right, guys. Here's chapter 5! It's going to get a little dark here, though I'm sure some of my readers are jumping up and down at that fact. Haha. But of course, I have a reason for everything I do, which you all probably know by now. And Mr. Shortman92, I know you said I didn't have to answer the question, but yes, you were correct. That was Evalto speaking in "Magic Link." He operates as the leader and therefore is in charge of "creepy voiceover" scenarios. :D As far as all the crystal ball, that's a great theory! I wish I could have worked it into the story, but I wasn't able to…so yes. We'll say the Defacto members are the "shady characters" Gideon received his own crystal ball from. I love that concept! Lol. :) Enjoy!

*Story*

Chapter 5: Ever Realm Patrol

"I wonder what could be taking so long," Sofia murmured as she and Elena sat side by side on the transparent floor, gazing primarily at the window to the outside world. "Do you think they're okay?"

"Oh, I'm sure they are," Elena responded optimistically, a much different tune from a while ago when she was suffering from the stress of being trapped in the amulet once again. Her scepter was now stagnant—whether due to the amulet replica's interference or due to external forces, she wasn't sure, but she was just glad to have her energy restored once more.

"I feel so helpless in here," the younger girl admitted as she rested her chin against her arms, now draped over her knees. "I wish we could be out there, helping them. It would be a lot better than just sitting around and waiting for something to happen…" She sighed as she felt Elena gently rub her back in a calming manner. "Sorry, Elena. I don't mean to seem upset, but…"

"Hey, I get it. I've kind of been there, done that, remember?" She laughed softly as Sofia smiled. "We'll get out of here. It's only a matter of time."

"I know, but…I just don't know if I can wait anymore." With that said, she jumped to her feet and looked skyward. "Amulet, please! Please, I know you're probably just trying to protect us, and we appreciate it. But I have a bad feeling… Our friends may be in trouble, and we're doing them little good in here. We need to be able to help them, just like you've helped us. Please, release us… Please!" She attempted to reach up and clasp where her own amulet normally would be, but she realized it was in vain. She couldn't wear something she was now a part of…

Elena gasped and looked at her amulet replica, which was glowing immensely. In a flash, it had disappeared from her neck. "What's going on?!"

Before they knew it, they had vanished from the inside of the amulet.

Meanwhile, in the Hexley Hall library, Mateo and Cedric had located the Amulet of Avalor books and were just starting their research when, all of a sudden, the girls reappeared before them.

"Elena?" Mateo gasped in surprise. "Sofia?"

The older princess grinned. "Hey, Mateo. Whoa!" She laughed when her friend scooped her into a hug, holding her closely. "It's good to see you too, Mateo…"

Sofia looked tiredly toward Cedric, who simply smiled and opened his arms to her. She returned the smile and hugged him. "What did we miss?" she asked sleepily, evidently mentally and physically drained from their experience so far.

"Well, we were just about to figure out how to release you both," Cedric responded with a shrug after Sofia had moved to stand before him. "However, it seems you two managed that conundrum on your own."

Sofia giggled. "Yeah, I don't know how that happened… I just asked the amulet to set us free, and here we are." She then gasped and looked up at her friend with an expression of realization. "My amulet! What happened to it?"

"It's right here," Mateo responded as he released the older princess and unfastened the chain from his neck before passing the amulet back to Sofia. "I took good care of it for you."

She smiled in appreciation before accepting it and putting it on, sighing in relief as she felt the familiar cool chain around her neck once again. She could almost sense the gentle surge of power she'd become familiar with these last few years. "Thank you, Mateo. So…what did we miss?"

"You two might want to sit down," Cedric suggested as they all settled around the table in the library. He shuffled some of the books around before fishing out the one on the Scepter of Light. "We discovered this book earlier when you were still trapped inside the amulet. From what we've gathered, there's likely a reason your scepter has been acting strangely, Princess Elena."

Elena frowned in curiosity. "And why is that?"

"We're…not _completely_ sure," Mateo answered honestly, smiling apologetically when his friend sighed. "We read that even the creators of the scepter didn't seem to fully understand its power, and no one seems to know its original intent either. But a lot of people used to seek it out, especially a group called The Defacto."

"What kind of group is that?" Sofia asked.

Cedric explained the group's origins, including their criminal history and interest in obtaining the Scepter of Light. He also reiterated the fact that these men often dabbled in dark magic, which set both princesses on edge, naturally.

"Great, another Shuriki," Elena murmured with her arms folded. "It's like we can't catch a break. If someone isn't after Sofia's amulet, then they're after my scepter. It's a never-ending, vicious cycle that we're probably just going to have to get used to… And what would this Defacto group want with my scepter anyway?"

Cedric opened the book to the page that dealt with the information about the peculiar group and turned it to the Avaloran princess.

" _From kings and queens to delinquents of the law, the Scepter of Light is seen as a prize to any who manage to wield it and unlock its powers. One particular group has invested a significant interest in it. This group is known as The Defacto, a group of lawless individuals said to have access to dark magic. However, little is known about the actual group, and even less is known about their intent for obtaining the Scepter of Light. One can only guess that The Defacto's purpose for obtaining the scepter is to cause some sort of catastrophic occurrence._ "

" _Catastrophic_ occurrence," Elena repeated aloud as she gestured toward the book. "You guys, this… I don't know what to think of this." She held her scepter tightly as she glared at it. "This thing has caused nothing but trouble for the most part… Even in _my_ hands, it's dangerous. I can't imagine if it fell into someone else's hands…especially a group that has ill intentions."

"Princess Elena," Cedric began calmly as Sofia grasped his arm after hearing the discussion. He gently patted her hand in comfort before glancing toward the other girl. "It's true that these men are no good. I told Mateo earlier that my father knew of them, and he stated that they will do whatever it takes, even destroying something or someone, in order to get what they want. It is my suggestion that we keep you both safe and that we keep the Scepter of Light as untraceable as possible."

"And how do you suggest we do that?" the brunette inquired with a concerned stare. "It's not like I can just 'de-magic' it or something." She blinked as Mateo gasped lightly. "…Right?"

"What about a neutralizing spell?" Mateo asked Cedric, who shook his head.

"I don't think that would be a good idea. If we neutralize the scepter, we run the risk of that becoming a permanent effect. We simply need to monitor our surroundings and make as little use of the scepter as possible."

"Look, if I could control this stupid thing, I would," Elena declared as she huffed in aggravation. "But it keeps leaking magic on its own. It's constantly glowing without my using it, and in addition it's making me weak. So if you have a solution to this whole issue, I would love to hear it, Cedric."

Cedric noticed that Sofia grasped his arm a little tighter, almost as if she were responding hesitantly to the other princess's hostile tone. He gave the girl a small, reassuring smile. "It's all right, Sofia."

Sofia simply nodded.

He turned toward the dark-haired princess again. "Elena, I'm sorry if I've said something to make you so tense. I didn't mean to. Just understand that we're here to protect you as best as we can. With both Mateo's and my magic, we can defeat any opposition that may try to attack you and take your scepter. I'm merely suggesting that we monitor it and do what we can to minimize the likelihood of anything bad happening… That's not to say something couldn't still happen, of course, but all I'm saying is we need to try our best to keep everyone safe. Especially you."

Elena appeared to be touched as she held one hand to her heart. "I…"

"I want to help too," Sofia told them as she finally saw an opportunity to speak up. "I want to help protect you, Elena, because in a way, I feel like we're each other's guardians, you know? You protected and guided me a long time in my amulet; it's my turn now." She absently glanced down at her Enchantlet before looking up at her friend again. "If your energy starts getting drained again, you're going to need someone by your side. That's us. That's what friends do."

The Avaloran girl smiled. "Thank you, Sofia… You too, Cedric." She sighed as Mateo placed a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry if I seem on edge, but this whole thing just isn't sitting well with me. And I don't like not being in control of things, because that's how I lost to Shuriki the first time: I wasn't able to control what was going on. This time…I'd like things to be a bit different."

"To be honest," Cedric told them all, "things _can_ be different this time around. When Mateo and I were doing our research, I managed to find a spell that could most likely stop the Defacto; however, it's extremely difficult and, if not said correctly, could have dire consequences." He took the book back from Elena and held the page's place before turning to the back with an extra blank page. He ripped it out and flipped back to the original information Elena had been reviewing. After sifting through a few more pages, he paused and grabbed a quill from the table, scribbling something down and handing it off to Mateo across the table.

Mateo glanced at the paper before looking at Cedric with wide eyes. "This is the—"

"—I know. It doesn't hurt to take precautions, Mateo…"

The young wizard stared at the sorcerer for a few moments before slowly nodding and pocketing the spell.

Sofia frowned as she looked between the two guys. She didn't like the way things sounded right now, so uncertain and full of possible danger. Truly, she figured she'd be used to dangerous situations by now, but they never became easier to deal with.

"I suggest we head back to the castle now," Cedric told the others as they stood. "There's little else we can do here."

That said, they headed toward the entrance of Hexley Hall and exited through the front doors…only to be met with an immediate opposition.

"Well, well," Evalto the Evolutionary sneered as he stood firmly before the other members of the Defacto. "What have we here? Quite a peculiar group, wouldn't you say, men?" He chuckled as the others murmured their agreements.

"Who are you?" Sofia demanded before Cedric pushed her behind him.

"Oh, you haven't heard?" He produced his crystal ball, which demonstrated previous images of the quartet discussing things earlier. "We are the Defacto." He indicated each man as he introduced them: "Zolir the Zealous, Flandon the Fearless, Maguilno the Magnificent, Soleth the Solitary…and me, Evalto the Evolutionary." He smiled sarcastically as he bowed mockingly. "Pleased to make your acquaintances." He then produced a large staff with a glimmering orb on the top, which appeared quite similar in appearance to Elena's Scepter of Light.

Elena gasped as she compared the two items. "It… It can't be."

"While you, Princess Elena of Avalor, have the Scepter of Light…" He smirked as he twirled the staff once. " _I_ have the Scepter of Darkness. And with it, I intend to demolish that wretched stick of yours like I had planned from the beginning, before it made its way to _you_."

"You'll have to go through me first," Mateo challenged as he stepped in front of the princess, his _tamborita_ held firmly in his hands.

Soleth burst out laughing as he mocked, "What are you going to do? Drum us to death?"

"Now, now, Soleth," Maguilno chided calmly with a small smirk of his own. "Respect the _tamborita_. It's an underrated wand. Granted, he seems a little too young to be wielding one."

"Say that to my face!" Mateo challenged as he tapped his drum wand once, magic sparking from it.

"Enough!" Evalto snapped as he glared at the Defacto members. "We have a mission to complete." With that he aimed his staff directly at Elena. "Hand over the scepter."

She glared at him. "Never!"

"Then say goodbye." With that, he powered up the staff before releasing a blast from it.

Sofia gasped as she watched. Everything seemed to happen in slow motion. Elena pushed Mateo out of the way, causing him to fall down. Yet just before she got hit, Cedric jumped in front of her and took the full blast himself. Her blue eyes widened in shock. "M-Mr. Cedric!"

Elena gasped and caught Cedric before he fell. She lowered them to the ground safely before glowering up at the laughing quintet.

"Well," Evalto murmured with a sickening grin, "that wasn't quite my intention, but I can't say I'm altogether disappointed." He cackled.

"Mr. Cedric, no!" Sofia dropped to her knees beside Cedric, who seemed to be having trouble breathing. "Mr. Cedric, please… Please, don't… Don't leave me." She sniffled as she felt tears pouring down her face.

Cedric reached into his robe and withdrew his family wand, pressing it into the young girl's hands. "S-Sofia," he whispered. "Y-You must take this. Mateo has the proper spell for defeating them… M-My family wand…will protect you." He smiled tiredly and reached up, wiping her tears away. "Don't cry, Sofia… Y-You must be strong." He slowly closed his eyes as his hand fell to his side.

"Cedric?" Elena asked in concern as she quickly felt his wrist and side of his neck. "His pulse is really weak…"

Mateo observed them silently, anxious and unnerved by the events.

Sofia stood with a determined look on her face. She grasped her amulet and told it clearly, "Protect Mr. Cedric." With that, she watched as Cedric was absorbed into her amulet for safety, just as she and Elena had previously been. She turned back to the other two, who now stood and stared at her in awe. "They hurt Mr. Cedric, and they'll stop at nothing to destroy us all." She held his family wand close to her heart as she glared at the Defacto, addressing them directly now. "I won't be defeated, and I'll protect everyone from the likes of you, no matter what. You'll pay for what you did to Mr. Cedric!" She felt instant relief when she realized Elena and Mateo were directly on either side of her now.

"Oh, really?" Evalto the Evolutionary challenged with an amused smirk. "Well, then, little princess…" He powered up his staff yet again and aimed it her way. "Bring it on!"

To be continued…


	6. And Then There Were None

Crystallize

Summary: Both Sofia and Elena get drawn into the amulet when it senses that the princesses are in danger. It's now up to both the Royal Sorcerer of Enchancia and the Royal Wizard of Avalor to figure out what's going on before it's too late.

Disclaimer: I don't own _Sofia the First_ or _Elena of Avalor_.

A/N: It's arrived! The final chapter of "Crystallize!" Here you'll see the resolution as well as the meaning behind the title, though some of you have probably already figured it out. ;) I won't delay any longer. Enjoy!

*Story*

Chapter 6: And Then There Were None

Previously…

 _Sofia stood with a determined look on her face. She grasped her amulet and told it clearly, "Protect Mr. Cedric." With that, she watched as Cedric was absorbed into her amulet for safety, just as she and Elena had previously been. She turned back to the other two, who now stood and stared at her in awe. "They hurt Mr. Cedric, and they'll stop at nothing to destroy us all." She held his family wand close to her heart as she glared at the Defacto, addressing them directly now. "I won't be defeated, and I'll protect everyone from the likes of you, no matter what. You'll pay for what you did to Mr. Cedric!" She felt instant relief when she realized Elena and Mateo were directly on either side of her now._

" _Oh, really?" Evalto the Evolutionary challenged with an amused smirk. "Well, then, little princess…" He powered up his staff yet again and aimed it her way. "Bring it on!"_

* * *

Cedric awoke inside the amulet, surrounded by the strange pink clouds and relative quiet. He sat up, holding a hand to his head. Somehow, his energy had been restored, though he wasn't quite sure by what method. He glanced around. "Where am I?"

He stood and walked toward the peculiar window before him, which seemed to be the only other object in the area besides the clouds and transparent floor. He gasped when he instantly realized what was going on. "I'm inside the amulet…" His eyes widened. "Sofia…must have sent me here. And though I recall being hit with magic, I'm no longer hurt. How on earth could she manage that?" He paid closer attention, realizing that his apprentice must have been facing down their enemy, because the amulet was pointed directly at the Defacto. "Sofia, please be careful…"

* * *

On the outside, Mateo quickly withdrew the spell from his pocket, and his eyes roved swiftly over it, attempting to make sense of the written words. It's not necessarily that it was such a hard thing to say, considering it wasn't that long, but given the circumstances… Technically speaking, if any portion of the spell was misspoken in any manner, it could very well backfire on them. Still, he wasn't sure his _tamborita_ would work with this spell, as it wasn't one of its origins. So that meant there was only one wand that could respond to the written words…

"Mateo!" Sofia whispered urgently, getting his attention. "What do I do?"

Elena stood back at a distance, her scepter glowing once again; she tried her hardest to fight off its effects, but she could feel it slowly starting to drain her energy once more. Her vision was swimming, and she fleetingly wondered if Evalto's Scepter of Darkness had something to do with her reaction. She shook her head and planted her feet more firmly on the ground, a frown set on her face. She wouldn't cave so easily this time. Her friends needed her.

Mateo hurried behind Sofia and lifted her arms up, both of her hands clasping around Cedric's wand, and his hands covering hers. He whispered something to her, and he frowned as she nodded in understanding. "On the count of three. Ready?"

"Ready."

"Aw, how touching," Evalto remarked with a sick grin as he raised his staff, the quartet behind him also appearing to power up themselves. "This is where we say goodbye, Princess Sofia…to you _and_ your friends!"

"I don't think so," Mateo challenged before counting quickly to three.

" _Defacto Interficio_!" they both called together, a powerful blast of magic erupting from Cedric's family wand and surrounding the five members of the team.

Elena shielded her eyes with her arms but managed to glance at the situation. The men appeared all but drained of their powers, and they themselves seemed to be wasting away to nothing. Before long, they'd been absorbed by the light.

Moments later, everything was calm again, and on the ground in front of Hexley Hall where the Defacto had once stood was the Scepter of Darkness. Mateo picked it up and observed it curiously before looking back at the girls. "Are you two okay?"

They both nodded slowly, not entirely sure how to respond.

Sofia held her hand over her amulet and silently made a plea to it, smiling in relief as Cedric reappeared next to her. "Mr. Cedric," she breathed happily.

The sorcerer looked around before glancing down at the princess. "Did you…send me into your amulet?"

She giggled tiredly before returning his wand to him. "Yes… Apparently I can do all sorts of new things with it now. I wanted to protect you."

He chuckled and placed one hand on her head. "That you did, my dear."

Sofia sighed. "I'm so tired… Mr. Cedric…" Her eyes drifted shut, and she slumped forward.

Cedric picked the sleeping girl up and cradled her against his shoulder. "Poor girl… She must be exhausted."

Mateo made a sound of alarm and extended his arms to Elena, whom he caught before she could collapse or pass out again. "Elena, are you okay?"

"I think so. To be honest, I'm not sure being around that stupid Scepter of Darkness is helping matters for me though…"

Cedric walked forward and, with one free hand, took the scepter away from Mateo and backed to a distance so it could be away from the older princess. "What do we know?"

Mateo sighed as he glanced at his friend, who was holding tightly to him so she wouldn't collapse again. "I get the feeling that's not the last time someone's going to be after your scepter, Elena. That Scepter of Darkness had to come from somewhere, or someone, and I'm not convinced it was the Defacto. There's a reason they were sealed away by that Quilor guy all those years ago… A group like that doesn't become that powerful on their own, and I have a hunch they might have been working for a much larger force."

She sighed. "Honestly, I kind of figured this wasn't the end…"

"Well, it's certainly the end of the Defacto," Cedric clarified as Sofia slept calmly against him. "That spell I gave Mateo wasn't just one to seal away their powers, you know."

Elena's eyes widened. "You guys _destroyed_ them?"

"In a manner of speaking, yes." The Enchancian sorcerer sighed. "I'm afraid with powers like theirs and ill intentions at hand, we weren't given much of a choice. So unless some ultra-powerful wizard decides to revivify them or something, I've a feeling that's the last you'll see of _them_. However, be on your guard, for while the Defacto was bad, there are plenty others far worse than they ever were."

"So what are you going to do with the Scepter of Darkness?" she inquired as she inadvertently stepped back a little more, pulling Mateo with her.

"I'm going to take it to Merlin for safe keeping. Perhaps he can make sense of it and verify what it is, where it came from, and what it has to do with your own scepter. For right now, I suggest you two return to Avalor and get as far away from this thing as possible. I'll write to you when and if I find out more information."

Elena nodded in appreciation, a small smile finally forming on her lips. "Thank you for everything, Cedric… And please tell Sofia the same when she's feeling better."

Cedric nodded, returning her smile. "I most certainly will, Princess. Mateo, nicely done today."

He grinned sheepishly. "Thanks, Mr. Cedric. I can't wait to tell my mom!"

Elena raised an eyebrow at him. "Yeah, maybe not. You can't just go waltzing into your house and say, 'Hey, Mom! Guess who _I_ destroyed today?' She would _not_ take that lightly, Mateo."

He chuckled nervously. "Eh, right… Yeah, maybe it's best if we keep it a secret between us."

With that, each pair departed for their respective kingdoms.

* * *

A few hours later, Sofia woke up and found herself in her bed. As she looked up, she noticed her mother pressing a cold compress to her forehead. She blinked sleepily. "Mom?"

"Oh, Sofia, I'm glad you're awake," the queen said gently as she lowered the compress to the bedside table. "Cedric told us what happened…"

She blinked in confusion. "Huh?"

"He said you passed out when you two were doing some research, and he alerted us immediately. He was very worried about you, Sofia."

 _Research_? She'd have to question him about _that_ later. She instead decided to appease her mother's concerns for now. She smiled gently. "I…I'm okay, Mom. Really. I guess I was just…tired?"

"I would say so. Don't go passing out on Cedric again, though. You'll give him even _more_ gray hair." She giggled and kissed her daughter's forehead, making her laugh too. "I'll let you get some sleep. Tomorrow, Amber and James will want to see you, if you're up to it."

"Sure." She waved as her mother left, shutting her door behind her. She waited several minutes before sliding out of bed, dressing in her normal purple and pink dress and shoes, and tiptoeing to the door. She glanced outside and noticed the coast was clear. It wasn't too late—perhaps 9:30 at night—so she hurried along the hallway toward the familiar tower.

Cedric glanced up with a slight gasp as he heard a knock. "Come in." He sighed in relief as Sofia walked in and shut the door behind her. "Sofia. You're awake."

"Yeah… What happened?"

"You passed out on us," he answered honestly. "And I couldn't exactly let your mother and father know the whole scenario, because I really can't give them another reason not to trust me…so I provided a cover story."

Sofia's eyes widened in realization. "Right…that's what Mom meant when she said we were doing 'research.' Well, I guess it's partly true." She gasped. "What about Mateo and Elena? What happened to them?"

"They've returned to Avalor. They're fine. You and Mateo defeated the Defacto. And I've passed off the Scepter of Darkness to Merlin for safe keeping." He leaned against his table as she sat next to him. "As far as I can tell, things are getting back to normal." He glanced down at the girl, who didn't seem too convinced with his words. "There's something I don't quite understand though…" He frowned thoughtfully as she looked up at him. "How is it that you've learned to utilize your amulet like that? While I'm aware that you've been able to tap into its more basic powers, I never realized you had the ability to protect people like that."

She absently hid her right arm behind her back, shielding the Enchantlet. That was yet again a conversation she wasn't prepared for. "I don't know… I think there's still so much I haven't figured out about my amulet. Maybe it's even more powerful than we thought."

"Hmm." He nodded. "Or maybe… _you_ are."

Sofia blinked at him. "What do you mean?"

"Sofia, the amulet is one thing, but it's merely a vessel. Power is only as strong as the person who activates it. Do you realize what you did?" He sighed as she shook her head. "Whether it was you and Elena or me, you managed to 'crystallize' or 'preserve' our lives when you shielded us away inside your amulet. That's the role of a protector or a savior, from what I gather. I think you're far more powerful than you realize, and perhaps even more powerful than any witch or wizard." He chuckled softly as she stared at him in awe. "I suppose I always had a feeling there was something different and special about you, but now I see I was right."

She smiled shyly and folded her hands into her lap. "Thanks, Mr. Cedric… So what do we do now?" She glanced down as he held one hand out to her, and she took his hand without hesitation as he spoke.

"We move forward."

The end

* * *

A/N 2: For those wondering, this isn't the end of this mystery. You'll see more on this scenario down the road. ;) Let's just say that there's more to this story than meets the eye. You will see the Scepter of Darkness again, and even though the Defacto may be gone, that doesn't mean someone else won't rise up in their place. With that said, I hope you enjoyed! :D It was fun to write, and I look forward to exploring more on this topic. The next story will be a lot shorter than this. :p So keep an eye out! ~AquaTurquoise


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